Container for pouring in liquid or fluid substances and the manufacturing method of the container



1968 SHINJIRO lZUMl 3,412,901

CONTAINER FOR POURING IN LIQUID OR FLUID SUBSTANCES AND THE MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE CONTAINER Filed July 19, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VEN TOR. S' unvvma IZUM/ 1968 SHINJIRO IZUMI CONTAINER FOR POURING IN LIQUID 0R FLUID SUBSTANCES AND THE MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 19, 1966 IN VEN TOR. S'munxa Z M WHOM/e: y

NOV. 26, 1968 SH|NJ|RQ |ZUM| 3,412,901

CONTAINER FOR POURING IN LIQUID OR FLUID SUBSTANCES AND THE MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE CONTAINER Filed July 19, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Qllwr/zo /2 U 0/ Nov. 26, 1968 SHINJIRO lZUMI 3,412,901

CONTAINER FOR POURING IN LIQUID OR"FLUID SUBSTANCES AND THE MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE CONTAINER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 19. 1966 FIG. 9

FIG. 10

INVENTOR. .Q/mnxo /ZUM/ NOV. 26, 1968 SHINJIRQ zu 3,412,901

CONTAINER FOR POURING IN LIQUID OR FLUID SUBSTANCES AND THE MANUFACTURING METHOD OF TH CONTAINER Filed July 19, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheets Jimmy:

States 3,412,901 CONTAINER FOR POURHVG IN LIQUID R FLUID SUBSTANCES AND THE MANUFAC- TUG METHOD OF THE CONTAINER Shinjiro Izurni, 1320 Ohaza Ryeke, Urawashi, Japan Filed July 19, 1966, Ser. No. 566,353 Claims priority, application Japan, July 28, 1965, 40/ 35,697; Oct. 9, 1965, 40/61,817 Claims. (Cl. 222--143) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates in general to container construction and to a method of making containers and to a new and useful container made of upper and lower blockshaped or cylindrical shaped parts or cases each having flanges around its open end, the cases being arranged with their flanges in abutting relationship and sealed together to define a closed container.

Containers for milk or liquid drinks or the like are known which are made of paper or synthetic resin in place of glass.

For example, a tetrahedron-shaped container is known which is made of very thin plastic material or paper which is particularly advantageous in view of the fact that it saves a great deal of material. The disadvantage of such container is that it is very diflicult to employ and its flexibility makes it somewhat unstable so that it is diflicult to use with liquids. When containers are constructed with synthetic resins which have had qualities, it has been found to be generally uneconomical to use such containers for mass consumption goods. However, when the containers are to be employed for carrying a capacity somewhat greater than the known milk bottles or containers, for example, a material of somewhat greater thickness is necessary.

In accordance with the invention there has been provided a container which is made up of two separate cases or portions which each include a flange extending around the periphery of its open end so that they may be joined together and sealed around the flange. With a container of this structure it is possible to form a container with a material which is not as thick as required heretofore due to the fact that the container is centrally reinforced by the flanges of each case portion.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel container of relatively great capacity which can be made of relatively thin materials and which has a relatively high degree of strength and can be manufactured by mass production techniques.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container with an inpour neck by which the contents can easily be poured into the container and with an outpour portion which can readily be opened and arranged on the container walls in a manner so that the containers can be nested in a stable condition.

Still further, this invention provides a method for manufacturing the container to meet the above objects quite efliciently and moreover without a waste of materials.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the atent claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2a is a perspective view of the upper portion of the container indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2b is a top front perspective view of the lower portion of the container indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view partially broken away of another embodiment of the container;

FIGS. 4a and 4b are front top perspective views of the top and bottom portions of the container of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front right-and perspective view of the container of FIG. 3 indicating the inpouring neck in a closed position after filling;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of two containers of the type indicated in FIG. 3 shown in a nested or stacked condition.

FIG. 7 is a schematic elevational view of a device for forming the containers of the invention;

FIG, 8a is a schematic indication of the pressure mold for forming the container;

FIG. 8b is a transverse sectional view of the formed container;

FIG. 9a is a perspective View of the apparatus for joining the outpour closure flap to the container;

FIG. 9b is a transverse sectional view of the container with the outpour closure flap in position;

FIG. 10a is a schematic sectional view of the die for forming a container bottom case;

FIG. 10b is a transverse sectional view of the bottom case;

FIG. 11 is a schematic transverse sectional view of the aparatus for heat-sealing the case flanges to join the cases together and for separating the excess material; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 11 in which the excess material is cut away by a cutting member instead of by the joining die.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a container which is made up of an upper case or casing 1 and a lower case or casing 5, each of which is substantially block-shaped, but which may be of cylindrical or other form which is capable of forming a closed container when the cases 1 and 5 are joined together. Each case 1 and 5 includes a flange 4 and 6, respectively, which extends outwardly from side wall forming means to define substantially flat sealing surfaces which are joined together such as by heat sealing. The cases 1 and 5 are advantageously made of a plastic material of a thickness depending upon the capacity of the individual container but which may be made of a relatively light weight in view of the fact that the sealing flanges 4 and 6 provide a reinforcement for the container extending around its central periphery.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper case 1 is provided with an inpour portion or a neck 2 which in the embodiment illustrated is formed as an upward extension of a flat top wall of the case portion 1. An outpour portion or pouring spout 3 is defined by a rim neck which does not extend above the surface of the top wall of the case 1. The outpour 3 is advantageously located at a corner of the upper case portion 1 to facilitate easy pouring and it is closed by a tab or gripping cap 8 which may be removed to define an opening port 7.

Generally, after the container is filled by directing liquid through the inpour neck 2, the neck is sealed such as by heat sealing the top edge of the neck. The case portion is preferably formed with a fiat bottom wall to permit easy standing support of the container when positioned on a table.

In the embodiment indicated in FIGS. 3 to 6, there are provided cases 1 and 5' which are joined together at flange portions 4 and 6', respectively, in the manner of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. In this embodiment, the upper case 1' is provided with the inpour spout 2' and an outpour spout 3', each of which is formed as a projecting neck which extends above the surface of the top wall of the case 1'. The outpour neck 3' is closed by a tab 8 which, when removed, will define an opening :or port 7. A feature of the construction of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 6 is that the bottom case 5' is provided with a flat bottom wall having inwardly extending recesses 9 and defined therein which are of a size to easily accommodate the inpour spout 2 after it is crimped and sealed (FIG. 6) and the outpour spout 3' of another container which is positioned therebelow in a nested fashion. In this manner, it is easy to stack the containers as indicated in FIG. 6 so that they take up a minimum amount of space and will form a relatively stable vertical stack.

Before the stacking is carried out, however, the container is filled through the inpour spout 2' which is thereafter sealed such as by pressing the side walls thereof together and sealing along a heat seal line 2" as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The method of forming the containers is very simple and apparatus for carrying out the method is schematically indicated in FIG. 7. Containers are formed from strips of a plastic material M and M which, for example, may be of a colored plastic or a transparent plastic for one of the strips M which forms the upper case and an opaque plastic for the other M which will form the lower case. A good effect is formed in the finished container by making the upper case of a transparent plastic material so that the contents are easily seen from the outside and a generally clean appearance is given. In addition, printing of figures, letters or other advertising material may be done on either or both of the strip materials, either prior to their being formed into containers or after they are so formed.

As indicated in FIG. 7, the upper strip to form the upper case M is fed in the direction indicated by arrow 8, between rollers R R and rollers R R and rollers R R and R and R Between the sets of rollers R and R the strip material is fashioned at station I. At this station, dies or pressure molds P and P (FIG. 8a) are moved together in the manner of the arrows indicated to pressure form the material layer M into the configuration of the upper case 1' as indicated in FIG. 8b. The die P is provided with formations N and Q to effect the desirable configuration of an output spout formation 3 and an inpour spout formation 2'.

Thereafter, the outer edges of the strip material M are passed between the nollers R R to the station II. At this station, as indicated in FIG. 9a, a tab member 8' is heat sealed to the top wall at spout opening 7' by means of a sealing member S.

In the meantime, the bottom case is formed by the material M which is fed in the direction of arrow S Since the bottom case may be formed in a single step, there is no processing between the rollers R and R Between the rollers R9 and R the lower case arrives at the station III and a die mold V, as indicated in FIG. 10, is moved against the layer M to form the layer in a corresponding counter die mold w. For this purpose, the die mold V has recesses K and L which accommodate projections I and I so that the resultant case 5' is provided with the inwardly directed recesses 9 and 10 which are formed in the bottom wall.

The finished cases 1' and 5 still joined to the web materials M and M are then transferred with the moving webs M and M by rollers R R4: and R R respectively, and fed between rollers R R to join the cases together as their flanges are moved into juxtaposition as the webs M and M arrive at station IV between rollers R and R and R At the station IV, the process indicated in FIG. 11 is carried out in which either a combined sealing and cutting die or just a sealing die E along with a similar die F are moved to engage the joined webs M and M to effect the heat sealing of the flanges 4' and 6' around their entire periphery and to also effect the cutting, if desired at this stage. On the other hand, the cutting may be carried out at a station V between rollers R and R adjacent the end of the production line in which event the process indicated in FIG. 12 is carried out, wherein a cutting member 0 is arranged to move through the plane of the materials M and M to cut the web material away from the completed container.

The containers which are formed may be immediately filled through the pouring in spouts 2 at the station which is indicated V in FIG. 7. After the containers are filled, the inpour spout is closed. Of course, it would be possible to fill the containers before the sides of the material are trimmed away from the flanges. An advantage of the production system is that the containers upper and lower portion may be formed simultaneously and immediately joined together and completed container may be immediately filled. A further advantage is that the process can be carried out in a plurality of feeding paths and filling can be accomplished along a plurality of feeding lines at the same time.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

I claim:

1. A container comprising first and second casings each having a substantially flat end wall and having side wall means terminating in a substantially flat outwardly extending flange around the periphery of the side wall means, said casings being arranged with their flanges superposed to form a closed container and being sealed around their superposed flanges; the end wall of said first casing having an openable inpour neck extending outwardly therefrom and perpendicular thereto, and having an outpour neck spaced from said inpour neck and extending outwardly from the first casing end wall and perpendicular thereto; the end wall of said second casing being formed with outwardly opening spaced recesses for accommodating the inpour and outpour necks of another container when said containers are stacked in nested relation; and a substantially flat tear-off tab overlying and sealed to the outer end of said outpour neck, and formed with a portion projecting from said outpour neck for gripping to tear off said tab.

2. A container comprising a first casing having a first substantially fiat end wall and sidewall means terminating in a flange extending outwardly from said sidewall means around the periphery thereof, a second casing having a second substantially flat end wall and sidewall means terminating in a flange extending outwardly from said sidewall means around the periphery thereof, said first and second casings being arranged together with their flanges abutting and sealed together, said first casing first end wall having a vertical tubular neck forming an inpour spout for the pouring in of materials into said container, said tubular neck being deformable to bring the walls of said tubular neck together to seal said neck, said first end wall also having a means defining an outpour spout extending vertically upwardly therefrom at a spaced location from said inpour spout, a closure tab sealed to and closing said outpour spout, said end wall of said second casing having recess means defined therein for accommodating the inpour spout and outpour spout of another container when said containers are stacked in nested relation.

3. A method of forming and filling a container, particularly for fiuid substances, comprising feeding a first web of heat scalable material to a first operating station, at said first operating station, press-forming said first web to form an upper casing having a substantially flat flange extending around the periphery of its side wall means and a fiat end wall with separate, spaced apart, inpour and outpour spouts extending outwardly from the top of said flat end wall, feeding a second Web of heat scalable material to a second operating station and press-forming said second web into a second casing having a peripheral substantially fiat flange extending around its side wall means, moving said first and second webs, With the formed first and second casings incorporated therewith, into engagement in a manner such that the flanges of the first and second casings are engaged in abutting relation, and thereafter, in a preselected sequence, heat sealing the abutting flanges of the first and second casings together to form the container, filling the container, sealing said inpour spout by forming the walls thereof together into heat sealed relation, and separating the formed container from said first and second Webs.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein after said outpour spout is formed on said upper casing, said first Web of material with said upper casing is moved to a 25 6 subsequent station and a sealing cap is heat sealed to the top of said outpour spout.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said fiat flanges are sealed together and said containers are cut aWay from said first and second Webs of material simu1- taneously.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,886,931 5/1959 Karpowicz 53-184 3,092,940 6/1963 David 5329 3,112,047 11/1963 Weinleich 222-478 X 3,154,418 10/1964 Lovell ct a1 53184 X 3,162,327 12/1964 Bennett 222143 3,176,879 4/1965 Mojonnier 222143 3,212,681 10/1965 Weikert 222215 FOREIGN PATENTS 647,146 12/1950 Great Britain.

286,187 6/1931 Italy.

386,923 4/ 1965 Switzerland.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

K. N. LEIMER, Assistant Examiner. 

